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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

NOLA church plants above national average for baptisms

By Will Hall, Message Editor There is good news in New Orleans. Preliminary data for 2015 indicates baptisms by Louisiana Baptists’ church plants in the city are above the national average within the Southern Baptist Convention. The numbers compiled by the Louisiana Baptist Convention Missions and Ministry Team and released to the Baptist Message indicate the 19 church plants, ranging from one month to three years old performed one baptism for about every 7 weekly worship attenders. By comparison, information shared by the North American Mission Board for the 757 churches in its Class of 2010 showed each typically baptized one new believer for about every 13 weekly worship attenders. This is the latest information NAMB has shared about its church plants formed in 2010 or after, and was highlighted by NAMB President Kevin Ezell in his report at the 2015 SBC Annual Meeting which was held in Columbus, Ohio. Meanwhile, figures published in the SBC Annual indicate that among established Southern Baptist congregations, one baptism is performed for every 18 or so weekly worship attenders across the denomination. John Hebert, director of the LBC Missions and Ministry Team said LBC church plants are not in competition … [Read more...]

Inaugural Cenla Life March to declare ‘life is priceless’

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA/PINEVILLE –The inaugural Louisiana Life March in Central Louisiana will be held Jan. 30, and organizers say it has been a long time in the making. The procession will begin on the Louisiana College campus and continue through Pineville on Main Street before crossing over the Red River at the Jackson Street Bridge to end at the Alexandria Riverfront Amphitheater. Other Louisiana Life Marches have taken place in Baton Rouge and Shreveport, most recently simultaneously on Jan. 23, but this is the first time such an event will be held in the central part of the state. “I’m very excited and amazed at the strong response we have received so far from people throughout central Louisiana,” said Ryan Verret, associate director of Louisiana Right to Life. “It has been our desire for quite a while to bring together the pro-life community of this part of the state as well as create a unified voice working together to end the great injustice of abortion that was imposed upon Louisiana women and unborn children in 1973. “We are preparing for a historic event for our state with the Life March from Pineville to Alexandria on Saturday, Jan. 30,” he continued. “We hope everyone who … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists are pro-life from the womb through eternity!

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – Louisiana Baptists are strongly pro-life! Moreover, we care about the individual in the womb but also throughout all stages and circumstances of life—and this second point is important. Too often during January, Sanctity of Life Month, the pro-abortion crowd tries to mischaracterize Christians as only caring about the life in the womb but not after it is born—and nothing could be further from the truth. Louisiana Baptists’ Mobile Pregnancy Care Center (Children’s Home and Family Ministries) provided services to more than 1,100 women last year and even helped place several of the expectant mothers in foster maternity homes. But our care about human life did not stop there. Louisiana Baptists also provided: -- residential ministry to 219 children and family members (Children’s Home and Family Ministries); -- foster care services for 85 children and adoption assistance to 21 couples (Children’s Home and Family Ministries); -- professional Christian counseling to nearly 1,800 individuals (Granberry Counseling Centers); and, -- life and job skills to 52 women (Christian Women’s Job Corps). Additionally, our international orphan care ministry Orphan Embrace touched … [Read more...]

Women’s conference offers a ‘Kaleidoscope’ of family helps

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Several major life experiences have shaped the character of Debbie Stuart but perhaps none has been more impactful than her own prodigal son’s wanderings. In October 2010, Stuart was on staff at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, when her son Jarrad was arrested at the age of 27. “That journey was the most painful season of our lives and led us to unexpected places with the Lord and taught us about obedience, forgiveness, deliverance and a few other very important lessons about life and ministry,” she said. Stuart will share the rest of her story – relating it to Paul’s shipwreck experience reported in Acts 27 – during the Kaleidoscope conference on Feb. 6 at First Baptist Church, Pineville. “In this passage we will discover a few reasons why the Lord allows shipwrecks especially in the lives of people who are trying to be faithful and obedient,” Stuart said. “We will learn how to have a successful shipwreck as well as what to do when the Lord takes us to unexpected places for unknown reasons.” The overall theme for the event is “Delight,” based on Psalm 119:174 and organizers are expecting 300 women to attend. A Shreveport native, Stuart served on … [Read more...]

Guest Editorial: Higher taxes will only hurt Louisiana’s economy right now

By John Kennedy, Louisiana Treasurer Winston Churchill said that "for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." It's no secret that many parts of Louisiana's economy are sluggish right now, especially the oil patch. Times are tough, and there is talk about making them even tougher by raising revenue through tax increases. Yes, the state, as usual, is strapped for cash. Yes, we're facing, as usual, a large shortfall in the state budget. But do you think the average oil industry worker is washing down his caviar with the finest magnum of champagne right now? If you do, let me introduce you to "George." George is a hard-working landman with a wife and a mortgage. He's got a roof that needs replacing, a truck that rattles instead of purrs and a baby on the way. As a landman, George works in the oil and gas industry, which is experiencing more twists and turns right now than a "Game of Thrones" episode. The industry is bleeding jobs. Businesses are closing. More workers are joining the unemployment line every day. They just hope they don't have to join the bread line. George devoted more than a decade to a company that folded last … [Read more...]

IMB fires 30 as part of ‘reset’ after overspending $210 million

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – In a Jan. 14 press statement, the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention announced it was eliminating its Richmond Communications Center, firing 30 personnel and transferring another 10 to other positions. The move comes as the IMB completes its release of 600-800 missionaries who were asked either to take a Voluntary Retirement Incentive (offered to personnel 50 and older with five or more years of service) or be volunteers in a Hand Raising Opportunity which “offers missionaries and stateside staff members the opportunity to transition outside the IMB if they believe God is leading them to a new place of involvement in mission.” IMB described the overall number of terminations in voluntary terms stating no missionaries were “required” to leave the mission field as part of its “two-phase reset.” However, the fired Richmond staff members include career veterans who have deployed around the globe, including in dangerous restricted areas, in order to get the stories of Southern Baptists’ cooperative mission work overseas. SELF-INFLICTED Moreover, the termination actions for all involved IMB personnel were dictated by a financial crisis IMB President … [Read more...]

Franklin Graham: The State of the Union is broken

By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter BATON ROUGE - The day after President Barack Obama delivered his last State of the Union speech, evangelist Franklin Graham on Wednesday told an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people packed into the North Boulevard Town Square, “the state of the union is broken.” Graham is preaching in all 50 states in the coming months, calling America back to biblical values, encouraging Christians to stand firm for their faith and to get involved in the political process as part of his “Decision America Tour.” Baton Rouge was third stop on the schedule where, in most places they are holding rallies on the state’s capitol steps. “We’re here today because we see that our nation is in trouble - that’s the state of the union,” Graham declared as the crowd cheered and many waved miniature American flags. “We are in trouble spiritually, racially, economically and we’re in trouble politically. No political party is going to be able to turn this thing around - only God can fix it.” “I have zero hope in the Democratic party,” he said as the crowd cheered, adding, “but before you Republicans start hi-fiving each other - I have zero hope in the Republican party - or any other political parties.“ The crowd cheered … [Read more...]

Numerous briefs filed with U.S. Supreme Court in opposition to Obama administration’s abortion-pill mandate

By Staff, Alliance Defending Freedom WASHINGTON – A broad array of groups and states – including more than 200 members of Congress and 20 states – filed briefs this week with the U.S. Supreme Court in opposition to the Obama administration’s abortion-pill mandate and its religious non-profit compliance mechanism, which forces the groups to violate their faith. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent a Christian college and four Christian universities in Geneva College v. Burwell and Southern Nazarene University v. Burwell, two of seven cases that the Supreme Court agreed in November of last year to take up. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate forces employers, regardless of their religious or moral convictions, to provide abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception through their health plans under threat of heavy penalties. Geneva College in Pennsylvania and the four universities in Oklahoma – Southern Nazarene University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Oklahoma Baptist University, and Mid-America Christian University – specifically object to providing abortifacients. “The administration continues to impose the same unacceptable choice: obey and abandon your freedom, or resist and … [Read more...]

Long calls for unity, Louisiana Baptists to pray for legislators

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE – A little more than 24 hours after his unanimous election as president pro-tempore of the Louisiana Senate, Gerald Long is calling for unity from his fellow legislators and prayers from Baptists across the state. Long, a Republican and deacon at First Baptist Church Natchitoches, was elected by a 39-0 vote on Jan. 11 prior to inauguration ceremonies in the State Senate Chamber in Baton Rouge. Long said his election by his fellow peers was humbling. “It’s one thing when someone appoints you to something, but it’s another thing when your peers ask you to serve,” he said. His election as president pro-tempore marks the beginning of his third term in the Senate. Since becoming a senator, Long’s has served on committees dealing with insurance, agriculture, education, finance, and revenue and fiscal affairs. Long views the task to serve others, especially residents of the six parishes he represents, as not just a position but a calling from God. As a Christian, he believes serving in his position of leadership is a calling to be salt and light throughout the state. Looking ahead to the next legislative session, Long has two goals –the state government be transparent … [Read more...]

Decision America Tour Heads to Louisiana After Big Turnout in Florida

By Staff, Baptist Message Tallahassee, FLA. – More than 4,000 people, including former Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden, stood on the front lawn of the Old Capitol building for Franklin Graham’s ‘Decision America Tour, Tuesday Jan. 12. It was the second stop of the tour. During his nearly hour long speech, Graham covered issues like race relations, prayer in schools and same sex marriage. He assured the crowd his father, 97-year-old evangelist Billy Graham, was joining them in prayer from North Carolina. "We're in economic trouble, political trouble, and we’re in race trouble," Graham told the crowd. "I have no hope in the Democratic Party. I have no hope in the Republican Party. My only hope is in the almighty God. "Our nation is in trouble and there's not a political party that can fix it,” Graham told an enthusiastic crowd on the capitol steps. “Thank you for coming out today. I am so encouraged to see so many coming together to pray.” The tour will be making its third stop Wednesday, Jan. 13 at North Boulevard Town Square near the State Capitol in Baton Rouge at noon. Individuals and churches are  urged to attend this important rally according to Graham. Why? "We need to take a … [Read more...]